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SLATY FLOWERPIERCER  Diglossa plumbea 10.5–11.5cm. Highland forest and

edge, flower banks, second growth, shrubby páramo. Mainly singles and pairs, not

with mixed flocks. Flits actively among foliage, piercing flower bases with its dis-

tinctive ‘can-opener’ bill to obtain nectar. Sings from low to high, often concealed.

Distinctive, given habits and bill shape, but cf. appreciably bulkier Peg-billed

Finch. SOUNDS: Rather weak, high thin tsit. Song a high, pleasant, slightly squeaky

twittering warble, 1–2 secs, overall descending slightly. STATUS: Fairly common to

common from timberline down to 1200m in Northern Mts., to 1400m in Cen-

tral Mts., and to 1800m in Talamanca Mts. (Costa Rica to w. Panama.)

PEG-BILLED FINCH  Acanthidops bairdi 13–14cm. Rarely encountered deni­

zen of highland forest edge, pastures, second growth, páramo, especially with

stands of bamboo. Mainly at low to mid-levels, feeding in fruiting and flowering

shrubs, seeding grasses; sometimes joins mixed flocks. Mainly singles or small

groups, but 10s or even 100+ may gather at seeding bamboo. Note rather fine

pointed bill with contrasting pale mandible, cf. smaller and darker, more bluish

male Slaty Flowerpiercer, darker-billed Slaty Finch. SOUNDS: High, slightly

piercing, overall downslurred tsiii; high, burry upslurred zzrip, may be repeated

steadily; high, buzzy downslurred zzri. Song a short, rapid-paced, slightly

metallic buzzy jangle, such as tzz-zzi zzi-zzzi-zzi-zzi, about 1 sec; also slightly longer, jerkier and squeakier

versions. STATUS: Scarce and nomadic on both slopes, 1500m to timberline; sporadically numerous in

areas with seeding bamboo. (Costa Rica to w. Panama.)

SLATY FINCH  Haplospiza (Spodiornis) rustica 12–13cm. Rarely encountered

denizen of highland forest edge, pastures, second growth, especially stands of bam-

boo. Feeds in seeding grasses and bamboo; sings from shrub or low tree. Mainly

singles or small groups, but 10s or even 100+ may gather at seeding bamboo

patches. Distinctive if undistinguished, with pointed grayish bill, fairly compact

shape. Cf. Peg-billed Finch, female of appreciably smaller Blue-black Grassquit.

SOUNDS: High, thin, slightly tinny tsi. Song a rapid-paced, high, slurred and buzzy

metallic jangle or gurgling warble, about 2–3 secs. STATUS: Sporadic and nomadic

on both slopes, 1500m to timberline; appears rare or absent most of the time, but

swarms can appear and remain months at patches of seeding bamboo. (Mexico to S America.)

NEW WORLD GROSBEAKS AND BUNTINGS (CARDINALIDAE; 19

SPECIES) New World family of stout-billed, often colorful, seed- and fruit-eating birds; several

formerly considered (and still named as) tanagers. Ages/sexes differ in most species; males of

some have distinctive 1st-year plumage. A few northern migrants have seasonal plumage changes.

*BLUE SEEDEATER  Amaurospiza concolor 11.5–12.5cm. Scarce denizen of

foothill and highland forest edge, gullies with bamboo. Singles or pairs forage

in seeding bamboo, mainly at mid-levels. Rather plain but habits distinctive,

and often in pairs; male fairly uniform dark slaty blue overall, female rich

brown, cf. much stouter-billed female Thick-billed Seedfinch and larger Blue-

black Grosbeak of humid lowlands. SOUNDS: High, sharp, slightly metallic

tswik or sik. Song a high, fairly rapid pleasant warble with slightly rambling

cadence, 1–2 secs; may suggest Southern Brown-capped Vireo. STATUS: Scarce

and local on both slopes, mainly 1000–2200m. (Mexico to S America.)

BLUE-BLACK GROSBEAK  Cyanoloxia (Cyanocompsa) cyanoides 17–18.5cm.

Humid lowland forest and edge, second-growth thickets, plantations, gallery

forest. Often in pairs, mainly at low to mid-levels in leafy foliage and shady under­

story; usually apart from mixed flocks. Relatively large size and massive bill

distinctive, along with habitat and habits; cf. female Nicaraguan Seedfinch of

open grassy and marshy habitats. Juv. dusky brownish overall. SOUNDS: Sharp,

slightly nasal to squeaky plik and pli-dik! Song fairly loud, an unhurried, rich,

slightly sad descending warble, 1–2 secs; sometimes fades into soft squeaky

ending. STATUS: Fairly common on both slopes to 1200m; less numerous and

more local in drier nw. lowlands. (Mexico to nw. Peru.)